Attacks on Nigeria’s Electoral Umpire: Its Potential Effects on the 2023 General Elections

General elections in Nigeria will take place on February 2023, which is seven months away. There are spirited preparations and growing expectations among political interests in the country. There is also the election management side of the preparation, such as the logistics of elections, manpower needs, voter registration and more. The institutional competence of the election management body is crucial for the success of any election, especially in ensuring its transparency and accountability. In addition, a peaceful atmosphere is necessary for free and fair ballots. However, the build-up to the 2023 presidential election tends to be accompanied by increasing anxiety and tensions occasioned by attacks on the election management body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Attacks on INEC became quite noticeable in the run-up to the 2019 elections. On May 27, 2021, it was reported that INEC witnessed 41 attacks in the last two years. Between April and May 2021, INEC facilities were either burnt or vandalised in attacks that happened in 14 different states of Nigeria.

In this edition of Nextier SPD Policy Weekly, we examine the potential impact of the renewed attacks on INEC facilities on the forthcoming presidential elections.

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